Dusk
by Keiko Oda
Summary: Mikan Sakura, granddaughter of chief police Officer Sakura vows to capture the art vandal that has been getting away with beautiful masterpieces. But what if he gets away with something else? Oneshot.


This fanfic is simply an offspring of boredom 

_Note: Hanoi Towers is a fictional place_

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice

--

Dusk

By Keiko Oda

_Oneshot_

--

The sky flashed into a magnificent shade of orange, casting pinkish light in every corner. Behind the tall skyscrapers and buildings were purple clouds, concealing the sun retreating into the horizon. Yes, dusk is probably the most beautiful hour when both day and night meet and where the whole city of Tokyo seemed like one big masterpiece. 

And to the Japan's most notorious art thief, dusk was certainly the time to take one. 

"He may strike again, there's word on a newly-bought painting in one of the Hanoi Towers" 

Officer Sakura stirred his coffee. "Mikan-chan, why are you so interested in the thief? You're a junior in high school for crying out loud! You're supposed to be worrying about your prom dress, not the painting!" 

"Jii-chan" Mikan said, sitting on her grandfather's desk. "Aren't you pleased that your only granddaughter is interested in your business?" 

"Chasing criminals and eating donuts?" Officer Sakura said, giving a sigh. 

"Exactly" Mikan replied firmly. 

"Mikan-chan, why don't you just go home? I take it that you have a midterm tomorrow?" 

"I studied for it yesterday, and History isn't a problem" 

"And anyway, the thief is rumored to come to the Hanoi Towers on Saturday, his usual day" 

"But Jii-chan—

"No buts, Mikan. I strongly suggest you head home now" 

-- 

Introducing seventeen-year-old Mikan Sakura, granddaughter of chief police Officer Sakura and probably the only teenager in the whole of Tokyo who worries about the case of the disreputable art thief, who steals away prized masterpieces at the end of the day of each Saturday. 

"I don't see why you're so interested in this guy, Mikan" Mikan's best friend, Hotaru said, once she got to the classroom on Friday morning. 

"Me neither," Mikan replied, "But maybe it's because I was raised by my grandfather, a police officer, and I'm pretty used to all the thrills…it's sort of in my blood" 

"Obviously" Hotaru muttered. "Leave me alone, I'm going to study for the midterm exam" 

Mikan stood up to go to her seat, when she bumped into someone. 

"AH, Gomenasai, Natsume-kun!" Mikan immediately said. 

"Watch where you're going" the raven-haired boy replied, and walked to his seat. 

_Natsume-kun is very handsome, but scary. _Mikan always thought. Even though she was his classmate since the fourth grade, she never tried getting close to him, probably because of his withdrawn and cold personality – or maybe because of those deathly crimson eyes. 

In a few moments, class began with an announcement by the class rep. 

"I'm sure you're all excited for tomorrow's class party" Iinchou-san said 

"I completely forgot about that" Mikan said, leaning towards her seatmate, Ruka. 

"Me too. I was so busy with all the projects as well as studying for the History midterm," Ruka whispered back. "But I guess I'm going to go. How about you?" 

Mikan thought for awhile. Tomorrow was a Saturday, Saturday meant Thief Day for her and the police officers. 

"I don't know," Mikan said, shrugging. "I might be busy" 

When class was dismissed for recess, Mikan and Hotaru headed to the cafeteria. 

"Are you going to the class party?" Mikan asked Hotaru, as they queued up for ice cream. 

Hotaru nodded. "You?" 

"I'm not sure, the art vandal might appear tomorrow" Mikan replied. 

"You'll be missing out on it," Hotaru said. "I'll make you feel left out on Monday" 

"You're so mean! What kind of best friend are—

And again, the hazel haired girl bumped into someone. 

"Natsume-kun!" 

"What the hell is wrong with you? Ever heard of looking where you're going?!" Natsume hissed. 

"Gomenasai!" Mikan said, her cheeks flushing. 

"Piss-off" Natsume muttered and began walking away. 

"OH. Natsume-kun! Are you going to the class party tomorrow?" Mikan asked. 

Natsume shook his head. "Got stuff to do" he said, and walked away. 

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "Well then, that makes two of you" 

--

_Saturday _

_5:00 pm _

"Here we are, Hanoi Towers!" Mikan said, as she got out of the police car with her grandfather. 

"Mikan-chan, this isn't really necessary" Officer Sakura said, putting on his cap. 

Mikan paid no attention to her grandfather, but proceeded to the lobby. 

In the lobby stood a red, sweaty fat man wearing a blue necktie that ridiculously clashed with his brown, checkered suit. He wore a blond toupee on his head and looked absolutely anxious. 

"Ah…Hanoi-kun! Good to see you again" Officer Sakura said, as the man extended his hand in greeting. 

"Likewise, officer. When shall we get started?" Hanoi-kun spluttered. 

"When the rest of the police come, maybe in around ten minutes. How much worth is your painting?"

Hanoi-kun looked around nervously and whispered: "Fifty million yen" 

Mikan's face tightened. _Fifteen million yen? Priceless! That's obviously a worthy target for the art thief! _

"Oh, and you must know my granddaughter, Mikan" Officer Sakura said. 

"Of course, we met early April, am I not correct?" Hanoi-kun said, giving a toothy grin. 

Mikan nodded. "And unlike that time, Hanoi-sama, we're surely going to nab the thief this time!" 

Hanoi-kun took a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed it on his sweaty forehead. "I feel assured" he breathed.

Mikan could hear the faint sound of police car sirens. 

"The rest of the crew are here," Officer Sakura said, with a broad smile, "Let's get started" 

--

Hanoi-kun took them to the top-most floor, where the painting was located. Mikan agreed that it was one of the most beautiful paintings she had ever seen, the grass of the plains looked realistic as it contrasted with the grayish blue of the sea and the reflection of the pale sunlight shining above the lighthouse. Oil paintings are much tedious to create but this one seemed amazingly effortless to paint. 

"I'm not letting the art thief take this away!" Mikan announced. "This is much too beautiful!" 

Mikan watched the policemen set up the lights around the painting as the rest went out to the balcony to keep a lookout, armed with guns and all. Mikan had to admit she was nervous for this, this was her fifth time on the case and they still weren't able to catch the thief. 

Hanoi-kun sat down on the sofa, twiddling his thumbs, aching with uneasiness. 

When all was ready, they closed the lights and took position and waited. 

The clock read 5:18. _Not too long now, _Mikan thought, crouching down. 

And without a word, a dark figure swung swiftly into the room through the balcony, breaking the glass doors and shattering them into tiny bits. 

"Perfect," Mikan muttered. 

"I'm back" the figure announced, brushing off glass bits from his stealthy outfit. 

The guards from the balcony aimed at him with their guns. "Touch the painting and we'll shoot!!" they yelled. 

The figure felt around his pockets. "Try me" he said and chucked an orb at their direction. 

As soon as the orb hit the marble floor, it began spinning in all directions, releasing some sort of gas into the air and knocking all the police in the balcony out in seconds. 

The art thief ran towards the painting, Mikan knew her cue and turned on the spotlight with the lever next to her. 

Sparks flew once she pulled the lever, and the thief stopped dead in his tracks. The spotlight was painfully blinding, engulfing the burglar in brightness. 

"Oh shit" the thief thought, putting his gloved hands to his eyes. 

Officer Sakura stood up with his gun. "With all the stars in your eyes, dear thief, you won't be able to see a thing – let alone the painting!"

The thief was motionless.

"You're under arrest!!" 

_Finally, _Mikan thought, _After all these… _

"YOU WISH" the thief yelled and threw a metal spur at the wires. The spotlight immediately shut off, electric currents jumping out of the wires in the process. 

"DAMMIT!" Mikan heard her grandfather yell out. 

Mikan's heart raced with anxiety as she could feel the thief sneakily slice the canvas out of its gold frame. She felt around for her gun. 

"See ya" the thief said and ran for the balcony. 

"I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY!" Mikan yelled, clasping her gun. She ran towards his direction, her knees shaking with fear, her forehead drenched with sweat and her heart beating as fast as imaginable. 

The thief was now climbing up the wall with the ladder, cautiously but quickly. Mikan took hold of the cold metal bars and followed him. She could feel the wind belting against her face and her school uniform as she went higher and higher. 

_Don't look down, _she thought. She could hear the city of Tokyo honking below her, its blinding lights trying to confuse her. She could feel her heart sinking to her stomach as she took one step at a time. One wrong move could bring her to the end of her life. She had her gun in her left hand which was quivering in fright. 

_I must be brave_, she told herself. 

She reached the last bar and pulled herself up to the helipad of Hanoi Towers, the orangey sun blaring in front of her and the violet clouds just streaming above her head. The cold wind striking her shivering body as she pointed the gun at the thief, who was attempting to escape with a helicopter. 

"D-d-don't move!!" Mikan yelled, her finger at the trigger. 

"So if it isn't the chief's granddaughter, what harm can you do to me?" the thief said in casual tone. 

"I'll shoot you!" Mikan screamed, her voice getting lost in the sound of the chopper's turbines. 

"Say that one more time, girly and I'll throw one of those stuff that I threw at your police friends at you" 

Mikan's heart had gone up to her throat. _What have I gotten myself into? _She thought. _God, help me. _

And with that she pulled the trigger. 

It was as if it was all in slow motion, she saw the bullet fly out and head for the thief's shoulder. And ever so silently, it ripped into his skin and out, staining his black attire dark red. The thief dropped the canvas and collapsed, clutching his shoulder. 

Mikan immediately dropped her gun and ran to the thief's aid. 

"Oh my God, I'm SO sorry!! Did I hit something major?!" she yelled, holding the thief in her arms. 

She could see him now, he was dressed like a ninja. Everything was masked in black except his eyes and his lips. And Mikan could see that his eyes were a marvelous color of red, and it reminded her of someone, but she couldn't quite make it out. 

"What the hell – shooting me and then coming to me?!" the thief groaned. 

"I'm so sorry…we could get an ambulance and…" her voice was drowned in remorse and guilt, how could she be a police officer at this rate? 

"Just kidding" the thief said, pushed her out of the way and ran for the canvas which was rolling away with the wind. 

He had it in his hands when another bullet came streaming out, tearing the painting from the burglar's hands. 

"Jii-chan!" Mikan exclaimed, as Officer Sakura came limping to her side, gasping and panting. 

"DAMN!" the thief yelled, as the painting fell from the building and down, down, down. 

"You've had your share of fun, thief. Now its time to surrender!" Officer Sakura said 

"Are you joking? I've got something else to steal" 

And in that instant, he pulled Mikan into a kiss. 

It was a fast peck, two lips touching. But it sent Mikan off ground at once, her legs wobbly and her mind cloudy as he held her from the back of her neck, one hand holding it and the other stroking her hair. Mikan was definitely shocked, it was as if everything turned upside down. 

"Sayonara" the thief said in between their kiss and hopped into his helicopter. 

Mikan stood there, watching the black chopper fly away, the painting not stolen, but simply her first kiss. 

--

"The party was a flop, I left in twenty minutes" Hotaru groaned, as the two of them met up Monday morning. 

"Sad though," she continued. "I was planning to make you feel left out. How did your thief thing work out? Did you catch him?" 

Mikan was about to answer Hotaru's question when Natsume came into the room with a cast around his arm. 

"He had a bike accident Friday afternoon, so I've been told" Hotaru said. "You didn't answer my question" 

Mikan ignored Hotaru, for her gaze was affixed upon Natsume. 

She remembered the art thief, the canvas and her kiss. 

_Impossible. _

Yes, Dusk is truly the most beautiful and not to mention mysterious hour of the day. It's the time when night and day meet, becoming one and clashing into the most beautiful symphony of pink, orange and dark blue. 

The identity of the mysterious art vandal is yet to be revealed. 

-- 

Fin 

I hope you liked it!! Please leave a review!! LOVEYOU. 


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